The Quickening 

Bashir tries to help a planet in the grips of a Dominion-engineered plague that guarantees a painful death.

Director:

Rene Auberjonois

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (based upon "Star Trek" created by), Rick Berman (created by)

Stars:

Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Michael Dorn

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Avery Brooks	...	Captain Sisko
Rene Auberjonois	...	Odo
Michael Dorn	...	Lt. Commander Worf
Terry Farrell	...	Lt. Commander Dax
Cirroc Lofton	...	Jake Sisko (credit only)
Colm Meaney	...	Chief O'Brien
Armin Shimerman	...	Quark
Alexander Siddig	...	Doctor Bashir
Nana Visitor	...	Major Kira
Ellen Wheeler	...	Ekoria
Dylan Haggerty	...	Epran
Michael Sarrazin	...	Trevean
Heide Margolis	...	Norva
Loren Lester	...	Attendant
Alan Echeverria	...	Patient

Storyline

Bashir, Dax and Kira are on reconnaissance in the Gamma Quadrant when they receive a distress call from the Teplan system. The message says their world has been attacked. But, when Bashir and crew land, they find a world in a state similar to earth's dark ages, nor does it look like they'd been recently attacked. The people seem in a state of hopelessness, as Bashir finds out all the planet's inhabitants suffer from a disease called 'the blight.' Once, this world stood up to the Dominion, but as punishment they introduced the disease. All people have lesions, and when the disease runs its course ('quickened,' as they say) the infected die soon afterwards. The doctor's shocked to find the people turn to euthanasia when they have 'quickened'. A doctor, Trevean, provides a way out, and Bashir offers to help find a cure, but they're met only with skepticism. Only one pregnant woman, Ekoria, listens with interest.

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Plot Keywords:

24th century | directed by star | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1996 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All of the outdoor scenes were shot at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in Ventura County, Southern California, where Rocketdyne had performed shuttle testings that resulted in the Earth being burned and scorched due to the heat and flames of rocket engines.

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Goofs

In the beginning of the episode when Worf walks in holding the Quark mug from the Defiants mess hall he's holding it sideways. When he demonstrates it holding it sideways plays the music, but it didn't when he walked in. However, the advertisements are probably designed only to play once per tipping of the mug, just as they play once when com panels are activated, so it had likely finished playing long before Worf entered.

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Quotes

Doctor Bashir: I thought this was a hospital, and that you were a healer.
Trevean: I am. I take away pain.

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Soundtracks

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title
(uncredited)
Written by Dennis McCarthy
Performed by Dennis McCarthy

User Reviews

The awfulness of the Dominion is amazing.

Dr. Bashir and Jadzia Dax respond to a planet's calls for help in the Gamma Quadrant. However, when they land the see that the place has been a hellish mess for a long time. It seems that this once- great civilization offended their Dominion overlords and as punishment, the Dominion released a horrible virus upon them. This virus doesn't kill the people instantly but causes lesions. Eventually, and there's no predicting when, they proceed to a phase called 'the Quickening'-- with intense pain and death. However, the folks on the planet, despite the automated distress call, don't seem terribly concerned about finding a cure--they just accept that they are all going to die and that is that. In fact, instead of doctors, they have folks like Trevean (Michael Sarrazin) whose job it is to help expedite their deaths...peacefully. Can the landing party manage to come up with a cure--especially when the disease is so incredibly resistant to treatment?

This is an incredibly sad episode--certainly not what you could call a 'feel good' show. Fortunately, it IS still well worth seeing and is a wonderful example of just how amoral and nasty the Dominion can be.